Zotac’s Blu-Ray Zboxes will do everything the new AppleTV can’t

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Apple‘s new, iOS-drivenAppleTV is gorgeously compact, but for those looking for a replacement for a HTPC in a smaller footprint, the lack of an optical drive, the omission of 1080p support and the lack of local storage are all big strikes against the device.

For those who want more robust capabilities in an HTPC, Zotac’s new Zbox mini-PC is an intriguing option. With a total footprint no bigger than a couple of 2.5-inch hard drives placed side by side, Zotac has managed to cram a complete Ion-based computer inside this diminutive chassis, including a 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 CPU, a 250GB hard drive, 2GB of DR2 RAM, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, USB 3.0 support (!) and even a slot-loading Blu-Ray drive.

Hook this up to your television and there’s pretty much nothing it won’t be able to play. Unfortunately, while price on the latest Zbox series is still unknown, the sort of hardware stuffed into this attractive package means it will probably command a price at least sextuple that of the AppleTV… but if, like me, the AppleTV doesn’t do what you want it to do, this is easily the sexier and more value-friendly device.